Grampian Police complaints and race crime reports rise

Grampian Police has been told to take action after a large rise in complaints against officers and reports of racially-motivated crimes.

Complaints against officers increased by almost 70% from just under 300 in 2006/07 to almost 500 in 2009/10, according to a new report. The number of reported racially-motivated crimes rose from 449 to 879. However, detection rates improved from 59.9% in 2006/07 to 69.3%, above the the Scottish average.

The Accounts Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland compiled the report. It said Grampian Police and the joint police board performed well, but that more progress could be made.

The report said that the force considers members of the public are more prepared to make complaints because they have confidence in its willingness to deal with them. It said that evidence suggests that the force was meticulous in recording complaints and this, coupled with changes in recording processes, may have accounted for some of the increase.

The report revealed an overall reduction in recorded crimes since 2006/07 and crimes of violence, indecency, dishonesty and reckless behaviour were at their lowest level for seven years.

Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, Andrew Laing, said: "Grampian Police force is performing well and demonstrates many of the elements of best value. Levels of public satisfaction are high and improving and, overall, crime rates in the area are falling. However, it is unclear why recorded instances of racially-motivated crime and complaints against the police have increased and the force should make further efforts to understand and explain this."

The force and the board are to produce an improvement plan to show how they intend to address the findings.

Chief Constable Colin McKerracher said: "This is an excellent report that acknowledges the tremendous effort that has gone into our strategy for delivering the highest quality of policing for the people of the north east of Scotland. Over the past few years we have seen our officer numbers rise, crime rates across the region fall to a seven-year low and with detection rates for violent crime at their highest level over the same period."

The force said it recognised and acknowledged the areas for improvement.

BBC

Noise levels at controversial BNP festival to be examined

An investigation is being carried out into the alleged breach of a music licence at a controversial British National Party festival in Denby. People living in the village complained to police and Amber Valley Borough Council about noise from the event, which attracted 2,500 party members, at the weekend.

Council chief executive Peter Carney said the authority issued a noise abatement notice to organisers after complaints about loud music late on Thursday. The notice gave the authority the power to prosecute if licensing agreements were subsequently breached. He said the council had received several telephone calls from people claiming that music had gone on past the agreed 10.30pm cut-off time.

He said: "We are currently investigating alleged breaches of the premises licence. We are also investigating reports of alleged breaches of the abatement notice after the event. We had officers measuring noise, so we'll have that evidence to look at too."

Last month, the council granted the festival a licence permitting live and recorded music to be played until 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday. It also allowed the sale of alcohol until 7pm on Saturday but stated that no licensed activities could take place on Sunday and the premises must close by 3pm on Sunday.

John Lumsden lives opposite the festival site in Codnor Denby Lane and was active in trying to prevent it. He said: "The noise was very loud and went on until about 12.40am."

The festival was held on land owned by BNP member and Denby parish councillor Alan Warner. He said: "When you have a festival you expect to have music and we were licensed for that. If they went over a bit with the time they could play music I wasn't aware and it didn't keep me awake."

Amber Valley MP Judy Mallaber said she spent the weekend visiting residents in Denby to assess the impact the festival was having on them.

She said: "I always said it's completely unsuitable as a site. I'll be telling the borough council all the things that struck me as breaches of the condition. The idea of having it here again is horrendous."

Police said there was no trouble but they received seven complaints about noise. The Evening Telegraph reported yesterday how organisers of the event said they intended to return every year.

Steve Lambert, borough council licensing manager, said: "Each event will be judged on its own merits but there is a chance that incidents from previous years may be taken into account."

Concerns about noise at the festival were also aired at a meeting of Denby Parish Council last night, when members of the public were advised to voice complaints to the borough council.

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